Coming into the season, many were expecting big things from Cal’s super athletic big man DeVon Hardin. Based off what we’ve seen so far, though, they may have to wait for a little while before he really starts to come around.

No one will ever question Hardin’s natural physical tools. A legit 6-11, he has a frame reminiscent of Dwight Howard at the same age. His wingspan is imposing and his athleticism all you could ask for from a player his size. Hardin runs the floor extremely well when committed and is able to get off the ground with ease and challenge anyone that dares step inside the paint. Once he gets the ball inside the paint, he bounces off the floor in the blink of an eye to throw down some extremely impressive dunks. He’s a graceful athlete with difference-making potential thanks to his fantastic explosiveness.

The problem is, you’d expect him to do a lot more with all the tools he has at his disposal. From what we saw in Alaska, he is still very much a work in progress and probably wouldn’t be considered anything more than a marginal D-League player if he were to be drafted right now.

The main concern is the fact that he’s just not always very active, looking hesitant and tentative at best and lazy and uninspired at worst. He’s very robotic in his movements and is limited offensively to the point that he just doesn’t look for the basket at all. When he does, he often struggles with his decision making, particularly in terms of trying to do things that he’s just not capable of, as well as passing out of double teams, as his 1 to 4 assist to turnover ratio might indicate. He’s had no problem deferring to his much less heralded frontcourt mate Ryan Anderson, just a freshman, and it doesn’t look like that is going to change anytime soon from what we’ve seen early on. Against Marshall, he showed pretty poor hands and even missed some wide-open dunks, but against Hawaii he looked a little better when going to his left-handed jump-hook, even if that is his only real offensive move. He also showed flashes of a mid-range jumper on occasion, and did a phenomenal job knocking down his free throws thanks to his surprisingly soft touch. His best game of the tournament came in the finals against Loyola Marymount, where he got himself going with a couple of impressive dunks and really made an impact defensively with his shot-blocking ability, finishing the game with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. Considering the level of competition he went up against, though, it’s difficult to get too excited when you take his entire tournament performance into consideration.

Defensively, Hardin can be very foul prone as he doesn’t quite know how to avoid contact when going up for a block, and has a tendency anyway to leave his feet on even the slightest of pump-fakes. As a rebounder, he doesn’t quite get after the glass the way you’d think a guy with his size and explosiveness would. More than anything he lacks the type of awareness and experience that only comes with time and plenty of playing time at a high level, and you have to wonder if people are jumping the boat with the kind of lofty expectations that are being put on his shoulders. With that said, its impossible not to notice the kind of potential he possesses as a 6-11 jumping jack with a monster frame and a seemingly good attitude. As long as he performs reasonably well in private workouts (which just happen to be tailor made to his strengths), he’ll probably end up being drafted somewhere in the first round regardless--although he’ll definitely be considered a long-term project.

It was truly puzzling that as Florida struggled for buckets in crucial times of the game, they didn’t even look to the player who carried the Gators on his back to a national championship last season. Noah took only 9 shots in the loss to Kansas over the weekend, while gathering only 4 rebounds. This was certainly not the performance you’d hope for out of a player vying for the second pick in the draft, only behind Greg Oden.

When Noah received the ball, he did good things. His talent was clear, as he made numerous big time scoring moves WHEN he touched the ball. He also made countless beautiful post entry passes to Al Horford and Chris Richard, making you forget that you were looking at a near seven footer. It is unknown however whether the junior big man’s lack of assertiveness caused his lack of touches, or if it was due to his teammates’ inability to look into the blocks. Either way, he disappeared for large stretches of the game, and was on the bench in foul trouble in others, which is not what you’d like to see out of the pre-season pick for college basketball player of the year.

Joakim will need to demand the ball on a more consistent basis if Florida hopes to make another national title run. It was clear that the Gators needed someone to step up and that person was Taurean Green against the Jayhawks, but things cannot be that way on a nightly basis. Noah is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams, as he is able to beat players his size off the dribble or abuse smaller post players down on the blocks. The Gators will go as far as Noah takes them, so Billy Donovan needs to make sure that his guards actually get the ball to his skilled seven footer on a more regular basis, unlike what they did against Kansas.

Javaris Crittenton had an up-and-down Maui Invitational tournament, looking extremely impressive in some areas and looking very troubling in others. On one hand, Crittenton showed some excellent ability scoring the basketball, being able to do so either by driving to the basket or hitting the outside jumper. On his outside jumper, Crittenton has great form, high elevation, and due to his size, he has no trouble shooting over defenders. But where Crittenton looks really impressive is breaking down the defense and taking the ball to the hole. Crittenton was at his best in the first game against Purdue, where he took over the game in the second half, getting to the rim at will and drawing lots of contact resulting in free-throw attempts. Crittenton shows good explosiveness both going into the air and with his first step, can proficiently drive either left or right, and uses his athleticism and creativity to create high-percentage shots in the lane.

While Crittenton was very impressive in scoring the ball himself, he didn’t have as much success running his team, showing some trouble playing the role of point guard. Crittenton has a tendency to over-dribble pretty often, and his team’s offense always seems to be lacking any discernable flow. Crittenton is very turnover prone at this stage, making some bad decisions with his passing, showing some trouble responding to pressure defense, and just not doing a very good job consistently creating for others. Crittenton’s mentality is obviously not where it needs to be for him to be a point guard, but he did have some bright spots with his passing.

Defensively, Crittenton shows the ability to be a good defender, and has excellent physical tools for doing so, but oftentimes he just doesn’t put in the effort, not moving his feet, not getting his center of gravity low, and too often lunging at the ball and allowing his man to blow by him. He did show some ability during the tournament to disrupt and create turnovers with his hands, but he was far too inconsistent on the defensive end, and had far more blunders than he did positive plays.

For the time being, Crittenton needs to continue doing what he does best, but finding a way to better incorporate those skills with his responsibility to run the team. With time and experience, if he has the desire, he should be able to improve on his decision-making and become a better overall floor general. He also needs to focus harder on the fundamental aspects of defense, though this is a problem that most of his teammates face as well, so it could be awhile before that change is made. Its clear Crittenton has all the natural tools one could want in a point guard, but it’s up to him put them into becoming a more consistent floor general.

Kansas’ win over Florida wasn’t a great individual performance by Brandon Rush in what has been a pretty up and down season for him so far. Looking at the way he filled the stat-sheet, though—a very welcome sign from him—and considering the overall result (an overtime win over the #1 ranked team in the country), it’s tough to argue with the results. In the first half he looked very aggressive at times, particularly in terms of creating his own shot off the dribble, but the looks he normally makes just were not dropping this time. His ball-handling skills are undoubtedly much improved over last year, and the fact that he was aggressive—at least in the first half—is basically all Kansas can ask for from their sometimes bashful go-to guy. In the 2nd half Rush settled down a bit and looked to fit into Kansas’ offense more. He made some big baskets off cuts and another one of a spot-up 3-pointer, and generally did not hurt his team. Defensively he had two very impressive possessions in which he completely shut down Corey Brewer, once blocking his shot emphatically. Rush will have his games where he’s scoring 20 points plus--there is little question about that--but for now he has players on his team who are just as talented as he is and he doesn’t seem to have a problem with that.

Al Horford had an up-and-down game against Kansas, doing some things exceptionally well, and really struggling with others. Horford is displaying many of the same problems he’s shown for the past year, though is also exhibiting the same great strengths.

Horford made his impact on this game on the defensive end, where he continued to show his great ability and understanding of how to defend in the post. Twice in the game Horford impressively blocked his man in a one-on-one situation, with one of the occasions being an absolute facial on Julian Wright midway through the first half, when Wright had previously been putting together a highlight reel performance against the Florida defense. Horford also used his length on one occasion to deflect a post entry pass that resulted in a steal for his team. And on a very crucial play down the stretch in the end of the second half, after Brandon Rush had pulled down a defensive rebound, Horford used his strength to rip the ball right out of his hands and make a quick pass to Joakim Noah for a jam.

Horford also did a good job playing weakside defense, making rotations and frequently altering shots in the lane. Horford was in foul trouble for much of the game, though, so he picked his spots playing help defense, occasionally not asserting himself when he was in position to do so. Against the pick-and-roll, Horford showed off his ability, length, and understanding, consistently hedging the ball-handler and getting back to his own man in time. He also did a good job boxing out on the defensive boards, pulling down rebounds and sealing his man.

On the offensive end, Horford had some troubles, showing many of the same issues he’s shown in the past. Horford started the game by making a very nice spin move for a score out of a triple-team in the post, though he didn’t show much in the line of touch for the rest of the game. He got to the line a few times, but on his other finesse post attempts in the game, various spin moves and hook shots, Horford usually missed badly. Horford definitely is at his best when he gets very close to the basket, where he can use more power than finesse, as he did on a very impressive drop step out of a double team late in the game, which he ferociously jammed down.

Horford missed both of his jumpshots in the game, though one of which was a three he had to take as the shot clock was winding down. In terms of passing the ball, Horford did a good job as usual, recognizing double teams and making kickouts out of the post, though his teammates didn’t make much of the open three-point opportunities he found. Horford also made some nice passes feeding the post, mainly to Joakim Noah. One resulted in a score for Noah, but the other went right through his hands.

Horford tried to step out of his comfort zone a few times, resulting in a charge on one dribble-drive attempt from mid-range and a travel when he tried to put the ball on the floor on the perimeter. But for most of the game, Horford played within himself, and made positive contributions on both ends of the floor for his team. Horford only pulled down one offensive rebound in the game, though it was from out of position, and he put it back on a powerful jam, as many have grown accustomed to him doing.

Horford hasn’t improved much in terms of his touch around the basket, and his jump shot isn’t falling much despite his decent form, but he’s still doing everything else well, and should be a very good role player in the NBA from day one. His defense is excellent, especially in the post, and if he can improve on his touch around the basket offensively, he could become a very complete player in the NBA. He’s a likely lottery pick due to his impressive physical attributes, though he still has room for growth in some of the lesser-developed areas of his game.

Ranked as the top point guard in the country coming out of high school, lofty expectations were cast on Tywon Lawson’s shoulders entering the season. Right now, he is as advertised, with an all-around skill set that you’d expect from an elite point guard prospect, but a tendency to try to do too much on the court. Throughout the Preseason NIT., Lawson proved that he has a very bright future ahead of him.

Lawson displayed some fantastic playmaking skills, but will need to play more controlled basketball in the future. Off the dribble, Lawson showed a lightning quick first step, being able to use one dribble to draw the defense and kick out to an open teammate. Lawson’s shooting stroke has also improved since high school, but he’s still streaky, and only made one of his three attempts against Tennessee. He also displayed his court vision while making some very nice passes. In the half court offense, he moved the ball around very well, and made entry passes to the big men when they had position. There were a couple occasions when his teammates were unable to get a play going, so Lawson exploded to the basket for a layup.

Lawson played out of control at times, and it led to 4 turnovers against the Vols. He tries to play transition basketball when the opportunity isn’t there, and it leads to drives in traffic with no place to go. On the defensive end, Lawson can be pesky at times, though he has a tendency to come out of his stance and there were numerous occasions where this left him chasing after opposing point guards.

With the position North Carolina is in, Lawson doesn’t really have the chance to play through his mistakes on the floor. They have another point guard in Bobby Frasor who can run the offense very smoothly and without many mistakes, so Lawson’s minutes will fluctuate throughout the season. He will certainly get better as he gets more high-level college basketball underneath his belt.

While Chalmers did not necessarily stand out with his performance statistically, he proved to be the best point guard the Jayhawks had to offer down the stretch during their upset over top ranked Florida. His collapse of the Florida defense and dish to Brandon Rush for a lay-up late in the game served as a brief glimpse of what the Alaska native has the ability to do, if he ever commits to the fact that he is a point guard and not a shooting guard.

For stretches, Mario looked the heralded prospect that he was hailed as coming out of high school, doing absolutely whatever he pleased on the floor. He was able to free himself up for any shot he wanted, broke down Gator defenders at will, played fantastic pressure defense, and made very sound decisions with the basketball. There were times however where he was the same old Chalmers we saw last year, playing out of control and looking like a shooting guard trapped in a point guard’s body.

It was clear Saturday night that Chalmers is the most talented of KU’s three point guards (himself, Russell Robinson, and Sherron Collins), but like most young players, consistency is the key with him. He will have to show the ability to involve everyone else on a regular basis if he hopes to log the majority of the minutes at PG for the remainder of the year, which Russell Robinson currently holds. Mario’s NBA stock is also being affected by this drastically, as we are forced to view him as a shooting guard for large portions of the game. It is pretty clear that for his sake, he needs to take a few less shots and do what he did against Florida and both he and the Jayhawks should be fine for the rest of the season.

Flying underneath the radar for the most part as far as NBA draft hype is concerned, Ayinde Ubaka is slowly but surely proving that he’s one of the best guards to be found on the West Coast. At 6-4, he has great size for the point guard position that he sometimes plays, and is bulky enough to not give up all that much when he moves over to the 2-guard spot. Although not an athletic freak by any stretch of the imagination, Ubaka is versatile enough in the things he does to make up for whatever he lacks in pure speed and explosiveness.

Ubaka showed us his bread and butter in the Alaska Shootout—his fantastic jump-shot. In his most impressive outing, he single-handedly kept Cal in the game against a tough Marshall team by nailing 5 of 6 shots from behind the arc, many of which came at the most opportune times possible when his team needed them most. He has a terrific stroke from behind the arc, with a quick release, excellent mechanics and nice range. He can hit them coming off screens from mid-range when playing off the ball, or pulling up off the dribble when creating his own shot. He hits tough shots with a man in his face and is crafty enough to utilize the pump-fake to step through and then slash through the lane.

More of a combo guard than a pure point at this stage in his career, Ubaka needs to improve his ball-handling skills to really maximize his chances in the draft. He is pretty patient and can certainly find the open man, sometimes in spectacular fashion, but he doesn’t seem to have the natural playmaking instincts you would hope as a pure lead guard. He’s an unselfish and very versatile combo who does a lot of things well, although nothing really great besides perhaps his shot. Becoming a better defender--or at least showing better effort in this area-- should be considered a top priority. He’ll get his chances and then some to impress NBA decision makers throughout the season in a marquee role at Cal and then in the draft process, starting probably in Portsmouth and/or the Pre-Draft camp. A selection in the 2nd round is certainly not out of the question, particularly if he can lead his team back to the NCAA tournament.